Cr-48 : The Web Browser-centric Notebook

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Although is isn’t yet clear if mainstream notebook users will want to buy it in droves, the notebook that breaks the paradigm and puts cloud computing as its raison d’etre, is soon to be released by Google.

Since all we really do on our laptops is surf the web for funny YouTube videos, Google has decided to go minimalistic and make a notebook that does away with all that other stuff we don’t seem to need. You know, like anything other than surfing the web.

To be clear, the Cr-48 is still a prototype unavailable to consumers, but it is an implication of how Google wants to see the market trend in the coming years. By rolling out the first cloud computing operating system, (Google Chrome OS), which they think is the future, (and they’re probably right), and by testing and perfecting the first laptop to place the web as its main focus, it’s clear that Google believes that a smooth web surfing experience all most users want. So that’s what they’re preparing to give them.

Computers began life ...
... as being highly specialized to the user, but then this trend gave way to a state of mass consumerism where everyone had devices with all kinds of abilities built standard into themâ€that they weren’t necessarily ever going to use. Now we’re seeing the pendulum swing back the other way in acknowledgement of what the Web has developed to be: a user-generated content virtual world where having an online presence is a must for all creatures great and small, and where the commercial marketplace, in terms of opportunities, services and commodities, is growing the fastest.

In truth, by embarking on a creation like the Cr-48, Google is acting on a more sophisticated understanding of the Web and its users today. If they can perfect it, the Cr-48 will present a sea change in the way most people relate to their devices and access the ever increasingly important online world, which in turn will favorably position the Google Chrome OS to take the lead in the new era.

60,000 units have been distributed for testing so that Google can get the critical feedback they need to make a Web browser centric notebook both desirable and successful when it finally hits the shelves. By all accounts, the search engine giant is taking all feedback seriously, and is already hard at work addressing issues that have come to light so far.

Among some key differences from standard notebooks, the Cr-48 has replaced the ‘caps lock’ key with a ‘search’ key that will automatically open a new browser tab. The keyboard also features buttons to switch back and forth between browser windows easily. The notebook will turn itself on and boot up automatically as soon as you open it. Currently, boot up takes 10-12 seconds. It also snaps back to life instantly and reestablishes connection after being asleep for a while. There are some kinks in the prototype, such as lack of flexibility and printing issues, but as the prototype is still currently being worked on, we’ll have to wait and see the final version before making a full assessment.

However, since it is primarily for use online, the Cr-48 has much more security muscle. A large portion of the OS itself is in read-only mode and the entire system is scanned for trouble each time the book restartsâ€a function of cloud computing.

For businesses, the Cr-48 signals how much more valuable the online marketplace will continue to be in the future, and the increasingly important role online marketing strategies will occupy in order for them to stay competitive as more users are funneled to the Web first on their browser †centric notebooks.